The Book

How One Family-Owned Company Took on the Multinationals and Won

About The Book

Competing With Giants

USD $2.5 billion. That is the amount of money Phương Uyên Trần and her father, Asian beverage business mogul Dr. Trần Quí Thanh, walked away from in 2012. That was the figure Coca-Cola had offered to acquire controlling interest in her family business, Vietnamese THP Beverage Group. Watching her father turn down a sum of money most could never dream to see was an event that shaped Tran’s entire philosophy from that day forward.

“It is never easy to compete with giants,” says Phương, “let alone face them down.” But her family legacy is a story that proves David can indeed compete with (and even outperform) Goliath.

In her captivating book, Competing with Giants, Phương weaves business advice from her father with her own insights, as a second-generation Asian businesswoman, into a rich tapestry that tells the story of not only one company, but the quickly changing global business landscape. Asia is rising, and this means the Western-style multinationals are being forced to come up with new strategies.

“There is only one thing we can all be sure of,” says Phương. “The world will be what we collectively make it.”

As we move forward into this new era, Phương’s book helps us:

Analyze the long-held assumption that globalization is the best pathway to prosperity and a more cooperative, peaceful world

Explore Asian multinational companies as the way of the future

Discuss the ever-growing role of women in Asian business.

Phương’s wise and conversational tone is that of a trusted mentor, someone a few steps ahead on the path. Her insight, heart, and experience will inspire readers to dream bigger and understand what is necessary to actualize those dreams. Throughout the book, Phương reminds us of the adages of her father, specifically the idea that, “Nothing is impossible.”